Aloiampelos ciliaris

The inland form of Aloiampelos ciliaris tends to be smaller than the coastal one. It is found in the Eastern Cape on wooded slopes and in riverine bush.

The flowers grow in single racemes on short stems, or branch slightly into small panicles. The flowers are bright red or orange red with only speckles of yellow and green at the mouth of the perianth. A. ciliaris flowers much, sometimes throughout the year. The flowers are much visited by sunbirds.

The species has become established in the veld of some coastal areas of the Western Cape where it had not existed in nature before. Introducing new plants into gardens may lead to such escapes. Control often proves expensive and difficult where features of the environment are favourable and natural enemies are absent.

Still, gardens are essential to human living. Many plants dont escape into or infest nature. Fortunately much is known today about indigenous and exotic plants that can safely be introduced in gardens in many parts of the world; also about which should be avoided.

Without gardens plants will also naturally migrate to new places. Nature lives and life means tomorrow might bring something new. National borders have no meaning in nature. So, follow the law and let the law follow the scientific knowledge for gardens to not cause mischief.

A. ciliaris is a common and rewarding garden plant, one of the easiest of the Aloiampelos species to cultivate (Jeppe, 1969).